Adjustable clothes pole



Jam. 24, 19% R. A. SMITH 2,495,610

ADJUSTABLE CLOTHES POLE Filed Oct. 25, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

ROYAL A. SMITH BY H TT'OPNE Y Patented Jan. 24, 1950 UITED S ATES OFFICEADEUSTABLE CLG'IHES POLE ration of Michigan Application (lctober 25,1946, Serial No. 705,525

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to adjustable clothes poles.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an adjustable clothespole which is simple in construction and easy to adjust when the pole isin use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable clothes polein which the length of the pole may be adjusted to any position withinits range of adjustment that may be desired.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and ciaim and will be understood by reference tothe accompanying drawing, of which there is one sheet, which by way ofillustration shows a preferred embodiment and the principles thereof andwhat I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplatedapplying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodyingthe same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes maybe made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing fromthe present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary elevational view of pole embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The adjustable clothes pole comprises a pair of rods Ill and I2, andsleeves I4 and I6 slidably interconnecting the rods for lengthwiseextension and retraction relative to each other. One of the rods isprovided with a. wedge-shaped slot or groove I3 facing the other of therods and a metal facing 20 is provided on the bottom of the slot :8. Aroller .22 is arranged in the slot and is adapted upon relative movementbetween the rods in one direction to wedge between the face 20 and therod If) so as to lock the rods against relative movement in onedirection. A release member 24 is movably mounted on the rod I2 and ispositioned to engage the roller 22 and dislodge it from its wedgingposition so as to free the rods from movement in such direction.

The sleeves I4 and I6 may comprise metal bands. the sleeve I4 beingsecured to the rod I2 while the sleeve I6 is secured to the rod II) bymeans of screws. Screws 30 and 32 on the rod 12 form stops forengagement with the sleeve IE to limit the extent of extension orretraction of the rods relative to each other. The upper end of the rodIII is notched as at 34 so as to receive a clothesline. The arrangementof the slot I8 and the roller 22 is such that with the rods in theextended position illustrated in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, the rollerwill wedge between the shallow part of the slot I8 and the face of therod I and prevent the retraction movement of the rods relative to eachother. However, the rods are free to move in the direction of theirextension relative to each other up to the limit of their relativemovement.

The release member 24 comprises a bar which is slidably arranged in agroove 25 in the rod I2 and one end of the bar is positioned so that itmay project into the groove I8 and engage the roller 22 so as todislodge it from its gripping position between the facing 20 and the rodE0. The roller 22 is shown in full lines in its gripping position inFig. 2 and in dotted lines in released position in such figure. Therelease member 24 is shown in full lines in its inoperative position inFig. 2 and in its releasing position in dotted lines in Fig. 2. A bendin the bar 24 extends through a slot to in the rod I2 so that therelease member 2 3 may be manually actuated.

The roller .22 is adapted to wedge between the facing 2B and the rod illin any relative position thereof, and under the wedge action of theroller the upper ends of the rods It and I2 will separate slightly, asshown in full lines in Fig. 2. However, the sleeve i will limit suchseparating movement.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and Itherefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth,but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fallwithin the purview of the following claim.

I claim:

An adjustable clothes pole comprising a pair of rods, sleeves slidablyinterconnecting said rods for lengthwise extension and retractionrelative to each other, one of said rods being provided with awedge-shaped slot facing the other of said rods, a metal facing on thebottom of said slot, a roller in said slot and adapted upon relativemovement between said rods in one direction to wedge between said faceand said other rod so as to lock said rods against relative movement insaid direction, a slidable release member movably mounted in a grooveformed longitudinally in one of said rods and communicating with saidslot, said member in said groove being positioned to engage said rollerand dislodge it from its wedging position so as to free said rods formovement in such direction, and stops limiting lengthwise movement ofsaid rods relative to each other.

ROYAL A. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 820,927 Heiser May 15, 19061,259,648 McGriff Mar. 19, 1918

